Google hits back at Conroy

Google has hit back at Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's criticism of its record on privacy, questioning his commitment to plans to censor the internet.

The communications minister also came under fire more broadly on Tuesday after accusing the internet giant of being responsible for the "single greatest breach in the history of privacy".

Likes his sport ... Stephen Conroy.

The attack on Google and its chief executive during a Senate hearing on Monday night comes after the company criticised the government's plans to introduce a mandatory internet filter.

// But the company responded to the latest round in the debate by questioning Senator Conroy's own commitment to the filter policy.

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"We were surprised to hear more discussion about Google and Facebook than about the actual proposed filter," a spokeswoman said in a statement.

Google has been an ardent critic of the filter plan, saying that while protecting the free exchange of ideas and information could not be without some limits, people should retain the right to freedom of expression.

Various privacy regulators have accused the company of unlawful action in intercepting the data.

"They consider that they are the appropriate people to make the decisions about people's privacy data, and that they are perfectly entitled to drive the streets and collect as much private information by photographing over fences and collecting data information," Senator Conroy said.

"This is probably the single greatest breach in the history of privacy."